144 Fun Facts About Super Bowl

Which team won four Super Bowls in six seasons during the 1970s?

The Pittsburgh Steelers had gone four decades without a championship before winning Super Bowls IX, X, XIII and XIV in a six-season burst under coach Chuck Noll.

What is the silver prize handed to the Super Bowl winner officially called?

The Vince Lombardi Trophy got its name in 1970, a week after the coach died; Tiffany makes a new one every year, so each champion keeps its own.

Who ran for a record three touchdowns in Super Bowl XXXII while playing through a migraine?

Terrell Davis's third score broke a 24-24 tie in the fourth quarter, giving his team its first title after four Super Bowl losses and ending 13 straight wins by NFC teams.

Along with Miami, which city hosted eleven of the first 59 Super Bowls?

New Orleans and Miami lead because the NFL traditionally awards the game only to warm climates or roofed stadiums; half of the first 60 went to just three metro areas.

Which AFL champion lost Super Bowl I?

The Kansas City Chiefs stayed within 14-10 at halftime of the January 1967 game, then were shut out the rest of the way and lost 35-10.

Which halftime performer played through a downpour at Super Bowl XLI in Miami?

Prince, told a storm was soaking the stage, asked whether the producers could make it rain harder, then closed his set with 'Purple Rain' in the downpour.

Which team lost four consecutive Super Bowls from 1991 to 1994?

The Bills' four straight AFC titles under Marv Levy and four straight losses (XXV through XXVIII) are both records that still stand.

Who scored the first touchdown in Super Bowl history?

Max McGee, a backup who had not expected to play, came on for an injured starter, made a one-handed catch and scored on a 37-yard pass in the first quarter.

Which company aired its iconic '1984' commercial during Super Bowl XVIII?

Apple's board hated the '1984' ad and the company tried to sell back its airtime; unable to unload the full minute, it ran the spot nationally just once, during Super Bowl XVIII.

Which coach was the first to win six Super Bowls as a head coach?

Bill Belichick quit as Jets head coach after one day with a scrawled note, 'I resign as HC of the NYJ', then took the Patriots job and won six Super Bowls, passing Chuck Noll's four.

What famous Super Bowl XLII play ended with the Giants' QB heaving the ball to David Tyree?

The Helmet Catch in Super Bowl XLII saw David Tyree pin the ball against his helmet while falling backward, keeping alive the drive that led to the Giants' stunning 17-14 upset of the undefeated Patriots.

Which quarterback guaranteed victory before Super Bowl III and then delivered?

Joe Namath's Jets were underdogs by more than 17 points, yet beat the Baltimore Colts 16-7; it was the AFL's first Super Bowl win after two lopsided defeats.

Whose 2004 halftime performance ended with the infamous "wardrobe malfunction"?

Janet Jackson's Super Bowl XXXVIII show in Houston ended with Justin Timberlake tearing away part of her costume, prompting an FCC indecency crackdown and delays on later live broadcasts.

In Super Bowl LI, the New England Patriots overcame a 25-point deficit to beat which team?

In Super Bowl LI (February 2017) the Patriots trailed the Atlanta Falcons 28–3 in the third quarter, then forced the first overtime in Super Bowl history and won.

Which player was the first to be named Super Bowl MVP five times?

Tom Brady, only the 199th pick of the 2000 draft, was MVP of four Patriots wins and then, at 43, of Tampa Bay's in his first season after leaving New England.

Which team won the first two Super Bowls?

The Green Bay Packers outscored their AFL opponents 68-24 across the two games, then did not reach another Super Bowl for 29 years.

Who caught Joe Montana's winning touchdown pass with 34 seconds left in Super Bowl XXIII?

John Taylor caught the pass that capped a 92-yard drive, which Joe Montana began by pointing out actor John Candy in the stands to his huddle.

Roughly what did a 30-second commercial cost during the first Super Bowl?

$40,000 is about right: accounts put the rate between $37,500 and $42,000 for half a minute; by 2026 a slot cost about $8 million, because no other US broadcast draws as many viewers.

Which team completed a perfect season by winning Super Bowl VII?

The Miami Dolphins finished 17-0, though Washington's only touchdown came when kicker Garo Yepremian tried to pass a blocked field goal and it was run back 49 yards.

Who made the goal-line interception that sealed the Patriots' victory in Super Bowl XLIX?

Malcolm Butler, an undrafted rookie, jumped the route when Seattle threw from the 1-yard line rather than hand off to Marshawn Lynch, sealing a 28-24 win in the final half-minute.

Which singer performed the halftime show at Super Bowl LIV in Miami, alongside Jennifer Lopez?

Shakira opened the show, crowd-surfed during 'Hips Don't Lie' and wagged her tongue at the camera in a zaghrouta, an Arabic celebratory trill that became the night's meme.

What was the final score of Super Bowl XLVIII, which opened with a safety 12 seconds in?

Seahawks 43, Broncos 8: Seattle added an interception return and a kickoff-return touchdown and led 36-0 before Denver, the league's top-scoring team that season, finally scored.

What is the traditional drink dumped on the winning coach after the Super Bowl?

The Gatorade shower became a Super Bowl tradition starting in the mid-1980s, when New York Giants players dumped the sports drink on coach Bill Parcells after their victories.

Which pop star opened the 1993 Super Bowl halftime show by standing motionless?

Michael Jackson was recruited after a rival network's live comedy special pulled viewers from the 1992 halftime; his set, opening with 'Jam', lifted the game's ratings between halves.

Which Super Bowl featured a 34-minute power outage that delayed the game?

Super Bowl XLVII (2013) in New Orleans experienced a 34-minute power outage in the third quarter. The 49ers nearly completed a comeback after the delay, but the Ravens held on to win 34-31.

Who was the MVP of Super Bowl I?

Bart Starr, a 17th-round draft pick a decade earlier, threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns, then was MVP again when his team repeated the next year.

Which defensive player earned Super Bowl MVP honors in Super Bowl 50?

Von Miller stripped league MVP Cam Newton twice: the first fumble was recovered in the end zone for a touchdown and the second set up the clinching score in a 24-10 win.

A year after Tampa Bay did it, which team became the second to win a Super Bowl in its own home stadium?

No team played a Super Bowl in its own stadium in the first 54 games; then it happened twice running, the Los Angeles Rams winning at SoFi Stadium on Cooper Kupp's touchdown with 1:25 left.

Which quarterback caught a touchdown pass on the 'Philly Special' in Super Bowl LII?

Nick Foles lined up as if to change the play on fourth-and-goal; the snap went to Corey Clement, who pitched to tight end Trey Burton, who threw to the uncovered quarterback.

Before the 'Super Bowl' name was adopted, what was the two leagues' title game officially called?

The AFL-NFL World Championship Game was the official title at first; Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt had 'kiddingly' called it the Super Bowl in a 1966 letter, and his nickname won out.

Which player ran for a record 204 yards in Super Bowl XXII?

Timmy Smith, a rookie making his first career start, ran for 204 yards, still the Super Bowl record; he gained only 602 yards in his whole regular-season career.

Which team won three Super Bowls in four years during the 1990s?

The Dallas Cowboys went 1-15 in 1989; that year's Herschel Walker trade brought the draft picks that built three title teams in four seasons.

Who kicked the game-winning field goal as time expired in Super Bowl XXXVI?

Adam Vinatieri's 48-yarder was the first score ever to win a Super Bowl on the final play; New England, a 14-point underdog, had driven there with no timeouts after the Rams tied it with 1:30 left.

Which legendary running back scored a 74-yard touchdown in Super Bowl XVIII?

Marcus Allen started left, saw the hole close, cut back and went 74 yards on the last play of the third quarter; his 191 yards made him MVP of the Raiders' 38-9 win.

Which receiver was MVP of Super Bowl LIII, the Patriots' third straight appearance?

Julian Edelman had missed the whole previous season with a torn knee ligament; he caught 10 passes for 141 yards as New England won 13-3.

Which quarterback was the first player to say "I'm going to Disney World!" after a Super Bowl, in 1987?

Phil Simms and Denver's John Elway had each agreed before kickoff to say the line for $75,000 if his team won; Simms, MVP of Super Bowl XXI, collected.

Which two Destiny's Child members joined Beyoncé on stage at her 2013 halftime show?

Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams rose through the stage at Super Bowl XLVII for a Destiny's Child reunion, two weeks after Beyoncé's lip-syncing controversy at Obama's inauguration.

Which team won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1998 and 1999?

The Denver Broncos beat Green Bay 31–24 in Super Bowl XXXII and Atlanta 34–19 in Super Bowl XXXIII, after which John Elway retired.

What jersey number did Joe Montana wear during his four Super Bowl victories?

16 never threw a Super Bowl interception, but it was close: a Bengals cornerback dropped one in the end zone in Super Bowl XXIII, and Joe Montana tied the game on that same drive.

Which beer brand is famous for its Clydesdale horses Super Bowl commercials?

Budweiser's Clydesdales, the brand's symbol since the end of Prohibition in 1933, starred in Super Bowl spots such as 2013's 'Brotherhood', in which a trainer reunites with a horse he raised.

Which quarterback led the underdog New York Giants to upset the undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII?

Eli Manning threw the winning touchdown to Plaxico Burress in the final minute, denying New England a 19-0 season; four years later he beat the same team in the Super Bowl again.

Where was Super Bowl I played?

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was a third empty: even with the game blacked out on local TV, about 33,000 of its 94,000 seats went unsold, the only Super Bowl not to sell out.

Which pop star performed at the Super Bowl LVII halftime show in 2023?

Rihanna headlined the Super Bowl LVII halftime show in Glendale, Arizona, her first live performance since 2018, and revealed her pregnancy on stage.

Which coach led the San Francisco 49ers to their first Super Bowl victory?

Bill Walsh went 2-14 in his first season, 1979, and two years later beat Cincinnati 26-21 in Super Bowl XVI, the first of his three titles.

Which stadium hosted Super Bowl XLVIII, the first played outdoors in a cold-weather city?

MetLife Stadium in New Jersey got a mild 49-degree kickoff after months of snow fears; the NFL had drawn up plans to move the game by a day or more if a blizzard hit.

Which player caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl XLIII with 35 seconds left?

Santonio Holmes got both sets of toes down in the back corner of the end zone two minutes after Arizona had taken its first lead; his nine catches for 131 yards made him MVP.

Who scored the overtime touchdown that ended Super Bowl LI?

James White's 2-yard run ended it on overtime's first drive, so the other offense never touched the ball; a 2022 rule change now gives both teams a possession in playoff overtime.

Which holiday outranks Super Bowl Sunday as the biggest US food-consumption day?

Thanksgiving is the only day Americans eat more; on Super Bowl Sunday alone well over a billion chicken wings are eaten.

Which quarterback was MVP of Super Bowl XXII after throwing four touchdown passes in one quarter?

Doug Williams, the first Black quarterback to start a Super Bowl, trailed 10-0 after one quarter, then led a 35-point second quarter, still the most points in any quarter of the game.

Which pizza chain added Buffalo wings to its national menu in 1994 after the Bills' fourth straight Super Bowl?

Domino's put Buffalo wings on its national menu in 1994 and Pizza Hut followed in 1995; Buffalo itself had declared July 29, 1977, Chicken Wing Day.

Which defensive star was MVP of Super Bowl XX, the Bears' 46-10 rout of New England?

Richard Dent, an eighth-round draft pick, had 1.5 sacks and forced two fumbles as Chicago held New England to seven rushing yards, the fewest in any Super Bowl.

Who was named MVP of Super Bowl X with four catches for 161 yards?

Lynn Swann had spent two days in hospital with a concussion two weeks earlier and was not expected to play; his 161 yards made him the first wide receiver named Super Bowl MVP.

Which quarterback was MVP of Super Bowl XXVI as Washington beat Buffalo 37–24?

Mark Rypien threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns, while Buffalo's star back Thurman Thomas missed his team's first two plays because he had misplaced his helmet.

Which quarterback was MVP of Super Bowl XLV in February 2011?

Aaron Rodgers slid to the 24th pick in 2005 and sat three seasons behind Brett Favre; in his third year as the starter he threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns to win the title.

Which linebacker was MVP of Super Bowl XXXV in January 2001?

Ray Lewis led a defense that never let the Giants' offense score: New York's only points came on a kickoff return, and his team ran the very next kickoff back for a touchdown too.

Which quarterback threw six touchdown passes in Super Bowl XXIX?

Steve Young spent four seasons as Joe Montana's backup; with the win safe, he begged teammates to take the monkey off his back, having thrown a Super Bowl record six touchdown passes.

The fan-made 'Free Doritos' ad that topped the Super Bowl XLIII Ad Meter won its makers how much?

Doritos paid the Herbert brothers a $1 million bonus when their 'Free Doritos' spot, in which an office worker smashes a vending machine with a snow globe, topped the Super Bowl XLIII Ad Meter.

Which Steelers linebacker returned an interception 100 yards in Super Bowl XLIII?

James Harrison picked off a pass at the goal line as the first half expired, turning a likely Arizona score into a touchdown the other way, then the longest play in Super Bowl history.

Which quarterback was MVP of Super Bowl XV as the Raiders beat the Eagles 27-10?

Jim Plunkett, a Heisman winner released by the 49ers, began the season on the bench, took over when the starter broke his leg, and threw for 261 yards and three touchdowns in the final.

Which quarterback threw for 414 yards as MVP of Super Bowl XXXIV?

Kurt Warner had stocked grocery shelves for $5.50 an hour five years earlier; his 73-yard touchdown to Isaac Bruce with 1:54 left broke a 16-16 tie and took him to 414 yards.

Which head coach, famously wired for sound by NFL Films, won Super Bowl IV?

Hank Stram's microphone caught him calling '65 Toss Power Trap' just before the play went for a five-yard touchdown.

Which quarterback was MVP of Super Bowl XXVII with four touchdown passes?

Troy Aikman threw four touchdown passes as his team forced nine turnovers; the rout is best remembered for Leon Lett showboating toward the end zone and being stripped at the goal line.

Which team won Super Bowl LX, played in February 2026?

The Seattle Seahawks led 12-0 after three quarters on field goals alone and won 29-13; Jason Myers kicked a record five, and New England became the first team to lose six Super Bowls.

Which Steelers receiver was MVP of Super Bowl XL in February 2006?

Hines Ward's 43-yard touchdown came on a trick play: fellow receiver Antwaan Randle El took a reverse and threw it, the first touchdown pass by a wide receiver in a Super Bowl.

Which team lost four Super Bowls in the 1970s without winning one?

The Minnesota Vikings reached four Super Bowls in eight seasons behind their 'Purple People Eaters' defense, yet never scored a first-half point in any of them.

Who was named MVP of Super Bowl XLI?

Peyton Manning's team fell behind 14 seconds in, when Chicago's Devin Hester ran back the opening kickoff, then outscored the Bears 23-3 over the last three quarters in steady rain.

Who was MVP of Super Bowl XVII after rushing for 166 yards?

John Riggins carried 38 times for 166 yards, including a 43-yard fourth-down touchdown, as Washington beat Miami 27–17 in Super Bowl XVII in January 1983.

Which quarterback started all four of Buffalo's consecutive Super Bowl losses in the early 1990s?

Jim Kelly's Bills came closest in the first, losing by one point when a late field goal missed; they lost the next three by 13, 35 and 17.

Who was named MVP of Super Bowl V despite playing for the losing team?

Chuck Howley intercepted two passes in a 16-13 loss; a year later he intercepted another and recovered a fumble as his team won the Super Bowl.

What trophy is awarded to the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player?

Pete Rozelle Trophy honors the commissioner who oversaw the AFL-NFL merger; the league first presented it at Super Bowl XXV, after taking the MVP award over from Sport magazine.

Which team lost Super Bowl XXXIX to New England, 24–21, in February 2005?

The Philadelphia Eagles got nine catches from Terrell Owens, playing against doctors' orders on a surgically repaired ankle, but their last touchdown drive used up nearly four minutes.

Which two networks both televised Super Bowl I, each with its own announcers?

Because NBC held the AFL's rights and CBS the NFL's, both were allowed to televise the game, each using its own announcers.

Which quarterback was named Super Bowl MVP three times in five seasons, starting with LIV in 2020?

Patrick Mahomes was MVP of LIV, LVII and LVIII, and each time Kansas City had trailed by 10 points before he brought it back.

Who was named MVP of Super Bowl XLVII?

Joe Flacco capped a postseason of 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions, matching Joe Montana's record, then signed what was then the richest contract ever given a quarterback.

Which quarterback ran for three touchdowns in a losing effort in Super Bowl LVII?

Jalen Hurts ran for three touchdowns and threw for 304 yards, but his unforced fumble was returned 36 yards for a Kansas City touchdown in a game decided by three points.

Who was named MVP of Super Bowl VI?

Roger Staubach was a 27-year-old rookie, having first served four years in the Navy, including a tour in Vietnam; in his third season he threw two touchdown passes to win MVP.

Who was named MVP of Super Bowl XXVIII in January 1994?

Emmitt Smith's team trailed 13-6 at halftime; after a fumble return tied it, he carried on seven of the eight plays of the go-ahead drive and finished with two touchdowns.

The 17-game schedule adopted in 2021 moved the Super Bowl to which Sunday?

The 17-game season pushed the Super Bowl from the first to the second Sunday of February, so the 2022 game was played in the middle of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Which event caused Super Bowl XXXVI to become the first played in February?

The September 11 attacks led the NFL to postpone its Week 2 games to January, pushing Super Bowl XXXVI to February 3, 2002, the first Super Bowl played in February.

Which Buccaneers defender was MVP of Super Bowl XXXVII after two first-half interceptions?

Dexter Jackson made two of his team's five interceptions and scored on neither; Derrick Brooks ran one back 44 yards for a touchdown, yet Jackson took the award.

Which Super Bowl drew a 49.1 Nielsen household rating, the highest of the 20th century?

Super Bowl XVI in January 1982, San Francisco's 26–21 win over Cincinnati, drew a 49.1 household rating, meaning nearly half of all US TV homes tuned in.

Which broadcaster called Super Bowls for CBS, Fox, ABC and NBC?

John Madden had already won Super Bowl XI as the Raiders' head coach; as an analyst he then called 11 more across CBS, Fox, ABC and NBC, the last in 2009.

Why did the NFL move Super Bowl XXVII from Arizona to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena?

Voters rejected an MLK Day holiday for state employees in 1990, so the NFL pulled the game; once Arizona created the holiday in 1992 it was awarded Super Bowl XXX.

Why did New Orleans lose Super Bowl LVIII to Las Vegas?

The date clashed with Mardi Gras once the 17-game season pushed the game back a week into Carnival parade season, so the city swapped to Super Bowl LIX a year later.

Which Super Bowl LII host city's newspaper leaked the NFL's 153-page list of demands, bowling lanes included?

Minneapolis's Star Tribune published the document in 2014: beyond 70,000 fixed seats, the league wanted reservations at two top-quality bowling lanes and three golf courses.

Who sang 'The Star-Spangled Banner' before Super Bowl XXV in January 1991?

Whitney Houston's anthem at Super Bowl XXV in Tampa, ten days into the Gulf War, was released as a single that reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100.

Which receiver was MVP of Super Bowl XXIII with a record 215 receiving yards?

Jerry Rice caught 11 passes for 215 yards, a receiving record that still stands, then watched a teammate score the winning touchdown with 34 seconds left.

Which Bears defensive lineman scored a one-yard rushing touchdown in Super Bowl XX?

William 'The Refrigerator' Perry got the goal-line carry, while Walter Payton never scored in his only Super Bowl; coach Mike Ditka later called that his biggest regret.

Who became the first Black head coach to win a Super Bowl, at Super Bowl XLI?

Tony Dungy beat his own protege: Chicago's Lovie Smith had been his linebackers coach in Tampa Bay, so the 29-17 game set mentor against former assistant.

Which Bills kicker pushed a 47-yard attempt wide right with eight seconds left in Super Bowl XXV?

Scott Norwood had made only one of five career kicks from beyond 40 yards on grass; this one drifted wide right, and the Giants won 20-19, still the only Super Bowl decided by one point.

Which team opened the second half of Super Bowl XLIV with a surprise onside kick?

The New Orleans Saints recovered Thomas Morstead's onside kick to open the second half of Super Bowl XLIV, a play nicknamed 'Ambush', and went on to beat Indianapolis 31–17.

Which Titans receiver was tackled a yard short of the goal line as Super Bowl XXXIV ended?

Kevin Dyson was tackled at the 1-yard line by Rams linebacker Mike Jones as time expired in Super Bowl XXXIV; three weeks earlier he had scored on the 'Music City Miracle' against Buffalo.

Who was the first special-teams player named Super Bowl MVP, at Super Bowl XXXI?

Desmond Howard, the 1991 Heisman winner, struck right after New England had closed to 27-21, returning the next kickoff 99 yards to put the game out of reach.

Which Colts rookie kicked the 32-yard field goal that won Super Bowl V with five seconds left?

Jim O'Brien had an extra point blocked earlier in the game; his 32-yard kick then settled a contest so sloppy, with 11 turnovers, that it became known as the 'Blunder Bowl'.

Which jeweler makes the Super Bowl winner's silver trophy, first sketched on a cocktail napkin?

Tiffany & Co. vice president Oscar Riedner drew the design during a 1966 lunch with the NFL commissioner. Each trophy goes back to the workshop after the game to be engraved with the final score.

Which AFL founder coined the name 'Super Bowl', later crediting his children's bouncy Super Ball toy?

Lamar Hunt told the NFL commissioner in a 1966 letter that he had 'kiddingly' called the game the Super Bowl and that the name could be improved upon. Sportswriters adopted it anyway.

Which star nicknamed 'Prime Time' is the only athlete to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series?

Deion Sanders batted .533 in the 1992 World Series while playing on a broken bone in his foot. He later won two Super Bowl rings as a cornerback.

Which TV series' 1983 finale held the US viewership record until Super Bowl XLIV finally broke it?

M*A*S*H drew 105.97 million viewers for its last episode, 'Goodbye, Farewell and Amen', and kept the record for 27 years. Both broadcasts aired on CBS.

Whose Super Bowl XLIX halftime show turned an out-of-step dancer in a shark costume into a meme?

Katy Perry entered on a giant golden mechanical lion while singing 'Roar'. The dancer, soon known as 'Left Shark', fell out of sync beside her during 'Teenage Dream'.

Which soft drink does a boy hand 'Mean' Joe Greene in a commercial made famous at Super Bowl XIV?

Coca-Cola's ad ends with Greene draining the bottle and tossing the boy his jersey with the words 'Hey kid, catch.' It had first aired months earlier during Monday Night Football.

Which Animal Planet show, inspired by TV's Yule Log, has aired opposite the NFL's title game since 2005?

Puppy Bowl shows shelter puppies at play in a model stadium, with a commentator calling the action. The program promotes adopting pets from shelters and rescue groups.

Which surname belonged to the first brothers to play against each other in a Super Bowl, at Super Bowl LVII?

Kelce brothers Jason, a center, and Travis, a tight end, lined up for opposite teams, so the matchup was nicknamed the 'Kelce Bowl'. Travis's side took the title.

Which NBC sitcom drew 52.9 million viewers with an episode aired straight after Super Bowl XXX in 1996?

Friends filled 'The One After the Superbowl' with guests including Julia Roberts, Brooke Shields and Jean-Claude Van Damme. It is the highest-rated program ever to follow the game.

Which running back answered every Super Bowl XLIX media day question with 'I'm just here so I won't get fined'?

Marshawn Lynch repeated the line for five minutes and left. Days later his team was criticized for calling a pass from the 1-yard line with 26 seconds left rather than running the ball.

Which surname was shared by brothers John and Jim, the opposing head coaches in Super Bowl XLVII?

Harbaugh brothers John and Jim earned the game nicknames such as the 'HarBowl' and the 'Bro Bowl'. Jim's son Jay was on his uncle John's coaching staff, on the other sideline.

Which children's TV network aired its own alternate broadcast of Super Bowl LVIII, a first for the game?

Nickelodeon billed its telecast 'Live from Bikini Bottom', with SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick Star as analysts and Sandy Cheeks as the sideline reporter.

Which Dolphins quarterback lost Super Bowl XIX in his second season and never played in another?

Dan Marino had just set single-season records of 5,084 passing yards and 48 touchdown passes, but lost 38–16. He retired with 155 wins and no championship ring.

Which three-time league MVP quarterback won his only championship ring in Super Bowl XXXI?

Brett Favre threw a 54-yard touchdown pass on his team's second offensive play and went on to win 35–21. It was his franchise's first championship in nearly three decades.

Which AFL team, an 18-point underdog, stunned the Baltimore Colts 16–7 in Super Bowl III?

New York Jets players came from the younger AFL, whose champions had been beaten easily in the first two title games. Their win is still ranked among the greatest upsets in pro sports.

Since the 1970 merger of two rival leagues, the Super Bowl has matched the champions of which two conferences?

AFC and NFC were formed when ten AFL teams and three NFL teams made up one conference and the other 13 NFL teams made up the second. The earliest games pitted the two separate leagues against each other.

Which running back nicknamed 'The Bus' won Super Bowl XL in Detroit, the city where he grew up?

Jerome Bettis announced his retirement from the champions' podium with the trophy in his hands. Before kickoff his teammates had sent him out alone to greet the hometown crowd.

Which 37-year-old quarterback's spinning dive, 'The Helicopter', became the defining moment of Super Bowl XXXII?

John Elway was hit so hard by three defenders that he spun sideways in mid-air, yet he still reached the first-down marker. He had lost his three previous Super Bowls.

Which Motown star ended her Super Bowl XXX halftime show by leaving the field in a helicopter?

Diana Ross flew out after singing 'Take Me Higher', the title track of her newest album. The show was staged as a celebration of 30 years of the game.

Which rock star headlined the Super Bowl XLIII halftime show after turning down numerous earlier invitations?

Bruce Springsteen had been unsure the halftime show was a legitimate gig, then accepted once he saw its prestige. He played with the E Street Band, the Miami Horns and a gospel choir.

Which president tossed the coin for Super Bowl XIX by satellite from the White House on his inauguration day?

Ronald Reagan had been sworn in privately that day because January 20 fell on a Sunday, with the public ceremony held a day later. No sitting president had taken part in the toss before.

Which carmaker's Super Bowl XLV commercial starred a small boy dressed as Darth Vader trying to use the Force?

Volkswagen's boy has no luck with a washing machine, the dog or a doll, then is startled when the family car starts. His father has quietly used the remote control.

Which rapper's Super Bowl LIX halftime show cast Samuel L. Jackson as a scolding Uncle Sam?

Kendrick Lamar teased his diss track 'Not Like Us' by telling the crowd, 'I wanna play their favorite song, but you know they love to sue.' He then played it anyway.

Which bird-named team won both Super Bowl XXXV and Super Bowl XLVII, its first two trips to the game?

Baltimore Ravens fans picked the name in a contest that drew 33,288 voters. It honors Edgar Allan Poe, who spent the early part of his career in the city and is buried there.

Which candy bar's Super Bowl XLIV commercial showed Betty White playing full-contact backyard football?

Snickers cast her alongside fellow veteran actor Abe Vigoda, and viewers voted the spot the winner of that year's Ad Meter survey.

Which British rock legend was booked as a 'safe' Super Bowl XXXIX halftime act after the previous year's controversy?

Paul McCartney opened with 'Drive My Car' from his Beatles days. The league and the show's sponsor wanted no repeat of the incident that had overshadowed the previous halftime.

Which touring song-and-dance troupe performed at the halftime shows of Super Bowls X, XIV, XVI and XX?

Up with People staged shows promoting multiculturalism, racial equality and positive thinking. Only the Grambling State University marching band has played more halftimes.

Which Fox sketch show drew 20 million viewers away from Super Bowl XXVI's halftime with a live episode?

In Living Color's stunt worked so well that the NFL began booking A-list acts for halftime, starting with Michael Jackson a year later.

Which British director, fresh from a dystopian sci-fi film, made the '1984' ad shown during Super Bowl XVIII?

Ridley Scott accepted a budget he called brutal because he believed in the concept. He hired local skinheads to play the pale 'drone' workers who march through the ad.

Which team's players released a Grammy-nominated rap single seven weeks before they won the Super Bowl?

Chicago Bears players called their single 'The Super Bowl Shuffle', and it climbed to number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100. The video sold more than a million copies.

Which animated Fox sitcom, later cancelled and revived, premiered straight after Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999?

Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane joked that his student film 'was shown primarily in my dorm room', while its successor was shown after the Super Bowl.

Which Ravens returner ran the second-half kickoff back 108 yards, the longest play in Super Bowl history?

Jacoby Jones had rescued the same playoff run weeks earlier, catching a 70-yard touchdown pass in the final seconds of regulation to force overtime on the road.

Which Bears rookie returned the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI for a touchdown, a first for the game?

Devin Hester scored after only 14 seconds, running 92 yards in the rain. His opponents refused to kick deep to him again, squibbing the ball for the rest of the night.

Which lineman, showboating on a 64-yard fumble return in Super Bowl XXVII, was stripped just before the goal line?

Leon Lett was run down from behind by receiver Don Beebe, and the ball rolled out of the end zone for a touchback. Lett's team was far ahead and won anyway.

Which running back missed his team's first two plays of Super Bowl XXVI because he had misplaced his helmet?

Thurman Thomas never recovered from the mix-up, finishing with only 13 yards on 10 carries. He had been voted the league's Most Valuable Player that season.

Which comedy actor did Joe Montana point out in the crowd to calm his huddle before Super Bowl XXIII's winning drive?

John Candy was spotted with Montana's team trailing 16–13 and backed up at its own 8-yard line with 3:10 left. The relaxed quarterback then marched 92 yards for the winning score.

Which coach won Super Bowl XXXVII against the Raiders, the team he had been traded away from a year earlier?

Jon Gruden knew his old offense so well that his new defense intercepted a record five passes and returned three for touchdowns. The game was nicknamed the 'Gruden Bowl'.

Which coach won three Super Bowls with three different starting quarterbacks, then built a champion NASCAR team?

Joe Gibbs is the only person inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the NASCAR Hall of Fame. None of his three title-winning quarterbacks has a bust in the football one.

Which quarterback nicknamed the 'Blonde Bomber' became the first to win four Super Bowls?

Terry Bradshaw later gave all four of his championship rings to his alma mater, Louisiana Tech, along with his Hall of Fame bust and a game-worn helmet and jersey.

Which university's stadium, lacking lights and dressing rooms when chosen, hosted Super Bowl XIX in California?

Stanford Stadium beat nine rival bids even though its press box was also judged substandard. The game was the first Super Bowl played in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Which pass rusher became the first five-time Super Bowl champion, winning with both the 49ers and the Cowboys?

Charles Haley started all five title games, two for San Francisco and three for Dallas. Only one player has since collected more rings.

Which Giants coach's sideline cooler soakings during a title-winning 1986 season started a Super Bowl tradition?

Bill Parcells was first drenched by nose tackle Jim Burt in 1984, in revenge for a punishing week of practice. Linebacker Harry Carson then made it a ritual after every win.

Which kicker's wild attempt to throw a pass after a blocked field goal gifted Washington a touchdown in Super Bowl VII?

Garo Yepremian batted the ball into the air, and Mike Bass, once his teammate in Detroit, caught it and ran 49 yards to score. The kick would have sealed a 17–0 shutout.

Which Raiders coach, a former quarterback, was the first minority head coach to win a Super Bowl?

Tom Flores and Mike Ditka are the only two people to win the game as a player, an assistant coach and a head coach. Flores had also been pro football's first Hispanic starting quarterback.

Who became the first woman to officiate a Super Bowl, working as down judge at Super Bowl LV?

Sarah Thomas had been hired in 2015 as the first full-time female official in NFL history. Two years before her milestone she appeared in a league commercial shown during Super Bowl LIII.

Which 1977 thriller has terrorists plotting to attack Super Bowl X with a bomb carried by the Goodyear blimp?

Black Sunday was allowed to film its lead actors at the real Super Bowl X. The crowd for the blimp crash, shot 11 days later, was supplied by the United Way charity.

Which groundskeeper, nicknamed the 'Sodfather', prepared the field for every Super Bowl from the first through 2023?

George Toma, also known as 'The God of Sod', was hired for the first game by team owners from both rival leagues. He kept the job for 57 straight games.

Which linebacker became the first player to win three straight Super Bowls, two with Dallas and one with San Francisco?

Ken Norton Jr. celebrated big plays by punching the goal posts or the air. It was a tribute to his father, a former heavyweight boxing champion of the world.

Which newspaper has scored Super Bowl commercials with its Ad Meter viewer survey since 1989?

USA Today began the Ad Meter with focus groups who rated every ad live on a scale from zero to ten. Online voting was added to the survey in 2013.

Which Hall of Fame tight end is remembered for dropping a third-down touchdown pass in Super Bowl XIII?

Jackie Smith's drop in the end zone forced his team to settle for a field goal instead of tying the score at 21–21. ESPN ranked it among the 100 greatest Super Bowl moments.